Details of the captured Russian ‘dark fleet’ tanker cargo

Noticia no oficial pero de Interés!!

*Actualización de inteligencia sobre la inspección forense preliminar que se está llevando a cabo en el Bella 1 (Marinera) tras su captura.*

La respuesta corta es: SÍ. El buque no estaba tan “vacío” como indicaban los sensores de carga de…

— Vanessa Chacon (@Vannsase) January 11, 2026

Unofficial but Interesting News!!

*Intelligence Update on the Preliminary Forensic Inspection Being Conducted on the Bella 1 (Marinera) Following Its Capture.*

The short answer is: YES. The vessel wasn’t as “empty” as the crude oil cargo sensors indicated.
Although the oil tanks were in ballast (empty), the boarding teams (USCG/DEA) have located high-value contraband hidden in the ship’s structure.
Here’s the verified detail as of 20:20 Madrid time:
1. The Discovery: “The Caleta in the Engine Room”
The inspection teams, using density scanners and detection dogs, found a welded hidden compartment (a maritime “caleta”) behind the bulkheads of the auxiliary generator room.
What has been found so far:
* Gold from the Arco Minero: Preliminary counts have tallied non-standardized gold bars (rudimentary casting, typical of illegal mines in southern Venezuela).
* Estimated Weight: Initial reports speak of approx. 1.5 tons.
* Origin: It’s presumed they were loaded via speedboats off the coasts of Sucre or Falcón days before the vessel fled toward the Atlantic in December. It was the physical payment the regime was sending to its allies in Iran or Russia for security services, but it got trapped on board.
* Cash (Currencies): Several pallets wrapped in industrial plastic with Euros in cash.
* This is common in the “Ghost Fleet.” Since they can’t use the SWIFT banking system, these ships function as floating armored trucks. They carry the cash to pay the crew, port bribes, and buy spare parts on the black market.
2. Narcotics? (The DEA Connection)
As of this moment (20:20 CET), no confirmation has been made on the discovery of large cocaine hauls, but the DEA dogs have marked “positive” (scent trace) in two vents of the ballast tanks.
* Hypothesis: It’s possible the drugs were dumped into the sea before boarding (a common practice when they’re surrounded) or that they’re hidden in “parasite torpedoes” (cylinders welded to the hull below the waterline), which can only be checked when tactical divers inspect the hull in port.
3. Dual-Use Components (Technology)
This is the discovery that’s most concerning the Pentagon:
* In the captain’s cabin, boxes with guidance electronic components (gyroscopes and chips) were found.
* Analysis: It’s believed they were spare parts for drone systems assembled in Venezuela (ANSU-100) that the vessel brought from Iran and couldn’t unload, or that it was trying to smuggle out to prevent them from falling into U.S. hands after the intervention.
Summary of the Contraband:
The Bella 1 wasn’t just a tanker; it functioned as a floating vault.
What was seized today (the gold and the cash) represents a net loss of hundreds of millions of dollars to Delcy Rodríguez’s financial structure. That was money they were counting on to pay loyalties this week.